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How to use basic Word Styles

13/6/2017

 
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​Whether you are writing a novel, a business document or an academic paper, using Styles in your Microsoft Word document is the best and most time-efficient way to make a document look neat and consistent. The Styles 'codes' are applied to the various parts of the document for quick navigation and formatting.

Using Word Styles means that all headings, text and spacing are consistent throughout the document, and any formatting change made on one page is automatically reflected in the rest of the document. The most exciting part at the end is making a table of contents with just a few clicks!

Here are some basic, step-by-step instructions for adding Word Styles to your document. It can get a lot more complex, but this is a start which will make your document look tidier and more professional.

What is a Word Style?
​

A Word Style is a set of formatting instructions that is applied to text to make it look and act in a certain way. The font type, size and colour, the line spacing and the indents are all assigned to your text in a consistent code which is easily updated and reflected in the entire document.

It means that you don’t have to manually format each part of your document, and saves a lot of clicks. Assigning Word Styles to different parts of the text (e.g. headings and paragraphs) ensures that each group of text is easily formatted with the same set of instructions.

It also helps identify all the parts of your document and makes it easier to navigate and make a table of contents.


How to assign a Style to match existing formatting

If you have already written your manuscript and made beautiful headings, the easiest way to ensure they are all consistent is to assign the formatting from your heading to an existing Styles button.

​The Styles buttons are found on the Home tab at the top of a Word document. ​
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  1. Place the cursor within the text of the first heading.
  2. Decide which heading name you wish to assign to this heading (e.g. Heading 1 for the main heading, Heading 2 for the first sub-heading etc.).
  3. Right-click on the Heading 1 button.
  4. Select Update Heading 1 to Match Selection.
The formatting from your existing heading is now assigned to the Heading 1 button.
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How to make all headings consistent
Go through your entire document, placing the cursor within the text of each heading you wish make in the same style as your Heading 1 and click on the Heading 1 button. All Heading 1-level headings will now be formatted to look the same.

Sub-headings
Place the cursor in a first level 2 heading, right-click on the Heading 2 button and select Update Heading 2 to Match Selection to assign your heading style to the Heading 2 button.
Repeat for level 3 headings, and so on.

​Other parts of the document
You can also assign a separate Style to the title, sub titles, block quotes, lists, and more. To see all the options, click the small arrow at the bottom right of the Styles box.
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​The main body of the text is automatically assigned to Normal.

​
How to change the formatting of an existing Style

If you have not yet written the document but know the formatting you require, or you have already assigned Styles but have decided to change the existing formatting of a heading, you can do this with just a few clicks and it automatically reflects in the entire document.​
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  1. Place your cursor within the text of a Heading 1-level heading
  2. Right-click on the Heading 1 button
  3. Left-click on Modify
  4. The dialogue box Modify Style will open where you can change all the formatting options
  5. Make any changes you require to the font type, size and colour, and line spacing
  6. Click OK. The changes you have just made will automatically apply to the each heading assigned to Heading 1 in the document

For more options, in the Modify Style dialogue box click on the Format button in the bottom-left corner of the dialogue box.
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​The Paragraph option allows you to set the spacing before and after each line. This ensures all spacing is consistent before and after each heading or paragraph. 

The T​​​abs option allows you to set tab stop positions. Note: This is not for first line indents – see below. ​
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Normal text
The main body text should automatically be assigned to Normal. You can modify the settings in the Normal button to change the font, spacing and indents if required.

Paragraph indents
If your house style requires you to use indents to indicate paragraphs, In the Normal Style, right-click and select Modify->Format->Paragraph to adjust indents. The preview box at the bottom of the dialogue box shows the results of your choice. Selecting First line indent results in the first line of every paragraph being indented. You can set how far the indent is by changing the number in the box under By.
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​How to assign no indentation to the first paragraph only after a heading
​

If your house style requires you not to indent the first line in the first paragraph of each chapter, but to indent the first line in all subsequent paragraphs, assign a different Style to the first paragraph than the rest of the body text.

The easiest way is to create a new style for first paragraphs.
  1. Format the paragraph the way you require
  2. Select the text
  3. Click the down-pointing arrow in the lower-right corner of the Styles Gallery
  4. Select Save Selection as a New Quick Style. A new dialogue box opens
  5. Type a name that is easy to remember in the top box (e.g. First Paragraph).
  6. Click the OK button. The style you created now appears in the Style Gallery
  7. Right-click on the chapter heading style (e.g. Heading 1) to open the Modify dialogue box
  8. In the Style for following paragraph drop-down box, select the style which you have just created. This means that each time you start typing the text of a new paragraph after a chapter heading, it is formatted in the style you created without a first line indent.
  9. Right-click the First Paragraph Style which you have just created
  10. Select Modify
  11. In the Style for following paragraph drop-down box, select Normal. Now, each time you start typing the second paragraph after a new chapter heading, it will be based on the Normal Style with a first line indent.
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​Outline View

In this view it is easy to check for the heading levels and consistency of capitalisation and wording of the headings in a quick overview.

In the View tab along the top of your document, select Outline, then select how many levels of headings your document has from the Show Level drop-down box.
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​You should now see all the headings in their appropriate levels.
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​To go back to Print view, click on the red Close Outline View button.


How to insert a table of contents

Once you have all the Styles assigned to the headings, you can make a table of contents with just a few clicks.

  1. Place the cursor in the document where you want the table of contents to go
  2. On the References tab, select Table of Contents

You have the choice whether to choose one of the automatic tables at the top of the drop-down box, or to select Insert Table of Contents to customise it.

If you select an automatic table, it will only let you go down to a heading level 3.

If you select Insert Table of Contents, you can customise how many levels are shown, the formatting, whether to show page numbers and where, and the tab lead style.

Note: If you adjust any of the headings after inserting a table of contents, click Update Table on the References tab.

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What next?
Got an unruly report that needs to be whipped into shape, or some untidy copy that needs some TLC? Get in touch today to enquire about my business editing and plain language services.

Contact me today to discuss how I can help you achieve your goals with clear, professional writing. 

I would love to hear from you.




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    Hi, I'm Marja! 

    You'll find all my advice about creating professional, 
    ​on-brand business writing here.

    I'm an editor and plain language specialist. I work with writers of business publications, government content and non-fiction books to create clear, user-friendly writing
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    For more information or enquiries, please see my website.​ I'd love to hear from you.

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